A NEW PABL IS BORN (1983)

A NEW PABL IS BORN
By JOAQUIN HENSON ( Sports Weekly Magazine  September 23 1983 )

The Amateur Basketball League is set to launch its inaugural tournament in early October with at least 10 founding member clubs and two regional teams competing. According to PABL president Dr. Fernando Carrascoso, the league hopes to become the premier amateur basketball group in the country and regional tournaments will be held as the national organization expands next year. newly-reorganized Philippine.Dr. Carrascoso, representing Southern Textile Mills of the Antonio Carag group, was elected PABL president in an organizational meeting last month. Others elected were Domingo Panganiban as Vice President, Eduardo Fernandez as Secretary, Johnny Sy as Treasurer, and Arturo Rocha, Peter Cayco, Captain Edward de la Cuesta, Jose Concepcion III, and Buddy Encarnado as Directors. So far, the PABL membership consists of the Bureau of Customs, C. F. Sharp, RFM Swift, Arellano University, Masagana 99, Sampaguita Garments, Development Bank of Rizal, ESQ Marketing, Southern Textile Mills, Boogie Jeans, and San Miguel Corp.

The provincial teams participating in the inaugural meet are the Region 11 Davao All-Stars and the Region 6 Western Visayas Cane Cutters. founding member, is obligated 10 Each founding member is obligated to contribute P50,000 seed capital to the PABL fund. The interest earned from this fund will finance the day-to-day operations of the league. "The idea is to make the PABL self-sufficient and indepen- dent," said Carrascoso, also Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco's chief assistant for sports development projects. "We also I want the member clubs to have a stake in the league. We hope to provide the mechanism for teams to support the PABL all the way." Carrascoso disclosed the founders' initial investment will be returned intact after three years. "We expect to realize interest earnings out of the PABL fund that will sustain our operations," added Carrascoso whose track record in sports promotions includes the successful seventh Asian Youth basketball campaign and the much-acclaimed Region III sportsfest Samasama Sa Paglalaro last May.

Not a few ex-PBA players have formed a team seeking a slot in the next PABL tournament. But Carrascoso said PABL officials have decided to disperse the for- mer pros to the various member clubs rather than maintain a single team made up of ex-PBA players. Some of these ex-pros are Mario Marasigan, Mario Basco, Amadeo Sagarbarria, Edmund and Marty Tierra, Peter Garcia, Virgilio de la Cruz, Jimmy Taguines, Ricky Mariano, and Chito Martin.